Next generation HTS system using hybrid satellite and terrestrial BB delivery- BATS

This paper presents the results from the EU FP 7 project BATS aimed at integrated BB access across the EU for 2020 and beyond. The BB access is integrated between DSL, LTE and the satellite and features a broadband intelligent user terminal. The satellite component is a cluster of two multibeam HTS satellites providing lower cost per bit than today’s satellites. The system architecture embedding the gateways and user terminals is presented as well as the design for the advanced satellites. The detailed design concepts of the intelligent router are also provided. We present the results of controlled lab tests on an emulated test bed as well as initial results from a field trial in which the intelligent routers were placed in households in Spain and Germany and connected to local; DSL and LTE as well as the Hylas satellite

Context-aware hybrid satellite-terrestrial broadband access

One of the key performance targets on the European Commission’s Digital Agenda is to provide at least 30 Mbit/s broadband coverage to all European households by 2020. The deployment of existing terrestrial technologies will not be able to satisfy the requirements in the most difficult-to-serve locations, either due to a lack of coverage in areas where the revenue potential for terrestrial service providers is too low, or due to technological limitations that diminish the available throughput in rural environments. In this paper we investigate a hybrid broadband system combining satellite and terrestrial access networks. The system design and the key building blocks of the intelligent routing entities (referred to as intelligent gateways) are presented. To justify the hybrid broadband system’s performance subjectively, lab trials have been performed with an integrated multiple access network emulator and a variety of typical multimedia applications that have varying requirements. The results of the lab trials suggest that the Quality of Experience is consistently improved thanks to the utilisation of intelligent gateway devices, when compared to using a single access network at a time

Expression array analysis of several ductal breast carcinoma microarray datasets.

<p>Statistical significance is reported as a summary statistic calculated utilizing the ONCOMINE gene expression tool <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0045559#pone.0045559-Rhodes1" target="_blank">[90]</a>. As shown in the report by Karnoub <i>et al. </i><a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0045559#pone.0045559-Karnoub1" target="_blank">[91]</a> (<i>left panel</i>) there was a 3.1-fold reduction of PEG3 mRNA within invasive ductal breast carcinoma (<i>P</i> = 3.64×10⁻⁶). Additionally, in the study by Richardson <i>et al</i>. <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0045559#pone.0045559-Richardson1" target="_blank">[92]</a> (<i>right panel</i>), PEG3 levels were found to be decreased by 5.6-fold in ductal breast carcinoma samples (<i>P</i> = 1.86×10⁻⁶).</p

DAVID gene ontology analysis.

<p>Rigorous classification of the 374 differentially expressed genes within the tumor microenvironment of triple negative breast carcinoma xenografts following systemic treatment with decorin protein core for 23 days. Determinations for the down- and upregulated classes were selected on highly stringent criteria (<i>P</i><0.05). Thus, all subsets above this value were analyzed by summing all genes within a specific gene ontology class followed by deriving the mean <i>P</i> and Benjamini values.</p

Independent qPCR verification of NimbleGen targets in orthotopic MDA-231 tumor xenografts following systemic delivery of human recombinant decorin protein core.

<p>Of the 36 top scoring candidates, we selected the top six-upregulated and downregulated targets and verified the corresponding expression patterns independently via real time quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis on the same MDA-231 tumor xenograft total RNA utilized for the NimbleGen Mixed expression array. Since these 12 candidate genes represent differential stromal (mouse) gene expression signatures, we ensured our primers exhibit extreme stringency and specificity for only <i>Mus musculus</i> transcripts (<i>cfr. </i><a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0045559#pone-0045559-t001" target="_blank">Table 1</a>). Therefore, we were able to demonstrate reproducibility and verification for seven of the twelve candidate genes, representing four downregulated (<i>Mrgpra2, Siglech, Irg1, Il1b</i>) and three upregulated (<i>Zc3hav1, Peg3, Bmp2k</i>) transcripts in our MDA-231 xenograft mouse model. Data are representative of three independent samples for each sample cohort in quadruplicate replicates, analyzed with the ΔΔCt method (please see <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0045559#s4" target="_blank">Materials and Methods</a> for a more detailed explanation), and reported as the average fold change ± SEM (***<i>P</i><0.001).</p

Systemic administration of decorin protein core induces Peg3 and Bmp2k levels in MDA-231(GFP+) xenografts.

<p><b>A–B</b>: Immunofluorescence images of control and decorin-treated MDA-231(GFP+) tumor xenografts, reacted with anti-Peg3 (A) or anti-Bmp2k (B) antibodies. Mice bearing MDA-231(GFP+) tumor xenografts were treated with intraperitoneal injection of decorin protein core (10 mg/kg) every other day for 23 days. All the micrographs were taken using the same exposure and gain. Three-dimensional surface plots, on the right of each panel, were generated utilizing ImageJ software and represent Peg3 and Bmp2k expression which directly corresponds to the signal intensity obtained by the immunofluorescence. The scale bars for signal intensity are included on the right of each surface plot. Bar = 20 µm.</p

Co-Culture Gene Expression Analysis of NimbleGen Targets.

<p>Co-culture conditions were established by utilizing and plating primary mouse mammary fibroblasts followed, once at sub-confluency, by the addition of ∼10⁵ MDA-231 cells. Co-cultures were then serum starved for a 24 h period prior to exposure of 100 nM decorin protein core for a total 3–4 days under serum free conditions. Gene expression analysis was carried out via qPCR by employing the same <i>Mus musculus</i> specific primers as in the preceding section for seven of the target genes, as were reproduced in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0045559#pone-0045559-g004" target="_blank">Figure 4</a>. Recapitulation of the <i>in vivo</i> gene signature involved reproducible patterns for four of the genes (<i>Peg3, Bmp2K, and Zc3hav1</i>). Data are representative of two independent trials performed in triplicate. Fold changes reflect two independent trials employing quadruplicate replicates and analyzed with the ΔΔCt method (Please refer to <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0045559#s4" target="_blank">Materials and Methods</a>) and reported as the average ± SEM (***<i>P</i><0.001).</p

Demonstration that qPCR verification primers exhibit exquisite specificity for NIH3T3 (mouse embryonic fibroblasts) cDNA when directly compared to HeLa (human squamous cell carcinoma) cDNA.

<p>Average Ct (± S.D.) values were obtained via qPCR for each gene primer set listed above when exposed to either NIH3T3 or HeLa template cDNA following standard 40 cycle SYBR Green evaluation as performed on the Roche 480 LightCycler II platform in either quadruplicate (HeLa) or triplicate (NIH3T3). HeLa Ct values scored as “Not Detected” refers to either all four replicates failing to register a detectable amplicon threshold or reflects that only one replicate achieved threshold detection, which most likely reflects stochastic amplicon formation at higher Ct values (>35); further, values that surpassed a Ct of 35 were considered as “Not Detected”.</p

Systemic delivery of decorin protein core inhibits the growth of orthotopic breast carcinoma xenografts.

<p><b>A:</b> Growth of MDA-231(GFP+) xenografts following daily i.p. injections of either PBS (black circle, control) or recombinant decorin protein core (red circle, 10 mg/kg). <b>B:</b> Tumor volumes at day 23, ***<i>P</i><0.001. <b>C:</b> Representative macroscopic photographs of control and decorin-treated animals at day 23. <b>D:</b> Bioluminescence superimposed on x-ray analysis of a representative control and decorin treated animal at day 23. Images were captured with a Kodak In-Vivo Multispectral Imaging System FX.</p